What Happened to Houston’s Tunnel House Art Installation?

Those familiar with the project will know that this incredible piece of urban art in Houston, Texas, was less demolished than deconstructed during its final days. Latterly known as the Tunnel House, the condemned structure’s transformation was the work of artists Dan Havel and Dean Ruck, and marked a refreshing change from the vandalism that often befalls many abandoned buildings and places.

But how did this project come about in the first place, and what happened to the Tunnel House’s forgotten foundations following demolition? As it happens, the property on Montrose Blvd. belonged to the Art League of Houston, which embarked on the most ambitious project in its then-59 year history to construct a contemporary, landmark building on the site of the Tunnel House and another former classroom bungalow.

Before demolition, the Tunnel House garnered widespread interest and acclaim across the art community, mainstream press and blogosphere, covered by the likes of Dornob, DesignVerb, Smosh and Geekologie. Below, Google Street View reveals the Houston Art League’s new building on the corner once occupied by arguably one of America’s most creatively abandoned buildings come recycled art.